Colin Stewart McArdle was professor of surgery at the University of Edinburgh. He was born on 10 October 1939 in Glasgow, the son of Alfred McArdle and May McArdle née Baird. Both of his parents were teachers. His sister Helen also became a doctor. He was educated at Jordanhill College School and then studied medicine at Glasgow University, qualifying in 1963. Prior to his appointment at the University of Edinburgh he spent much of his career in Glasgow, as a senior registrar at the Western Infirmary, a consultant general surgeon at the Victoria Infirmary and a consultant and honorary professor of general surgery at the Royal Infirmary. He enjoyed skiing and rugby. He died in 2013.